South Africa is an incredible country to visit. Whether you are going on a family holiday, looking for some winter sun, exploring the wine regions or heading to the infamous Kruger National Park on safari for your honeymoon – this country will inspire you. Expect to leave wanting to come back to explore more of what this beautiful destination has to offer. 

This country is full of adventure and nature, offering excellent weather during the British winter months. You can visit Cape Town and happily miss the cold winter at home. In this blog I hope to inspire you to visit this beautiful country and many of the places that will make for a wonderful holiday. Cape Town is one of the pinnacles of South Africa, it is an amazing city and one of our most popular destinations for guests going to South Africa. With direct British Airways flights you can easily head there from London Heathrow, it is only one hour ahead as well making it easy with children and to avoid jet lag. 

Starting with possibly the most famous sight in Cape Town, Table Mountain. An iconic and beautiful mountain it is one of the tourist hot spots. If you are feeling energetic then hiking up or climbing is a must and you will certainly feel a sense of achievement once you have reached the top. For those that wish to admire the view you can take the cable car up to the top, walk around and take in the sights. It is an incredible place with views spanning the whole bay and city. Easily accessible for everyone it is a must on our checklist when heading to this city.

My second destination would have to be Robben Island for several reasons. Firstly the boat to Robben Island leaves from the port, this is an exciting and bustling area, with excellent restaurants and bar, and a wonderful lively feel and atmosphere. It is a fantastic place to stop for lunch or dinner and where many of the more exciting excursions such as shark diving depart from. There are local seals hanging around the fishing ports, it is a hub of fresh seafood with many local restaurants serving this. 

Robben Island is about 30 minutes by boat and a standard tour takes about three to four hours. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and rich in history. During the 17th and 18th centuries it was where the Dutch sent political prisoners. More recently many political prisoners were sent there, most famous of these was Nelson Mandela but also the South African presidents Jacob Zuma and Kgalema Motlanthe also spent time there. It is an interesting island where you can learn much about the history as well as go inside the old prison buildings. The island is also filled with wildlife, and the African Penguins have nested here.

This leads me nicely to my next recommendation – Boulders Beach. A spectacular and beautiful white sand beach with intermittent large granite boulders. The beach is well sheltered just on the edge of the Cape Peninsula. It is a place to visit and home to a large penguin colony. Situated within the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area, the penguins are well looked after. It is rarely crowded and there are plenty of wonderful views and rock pools. The only thing to warn you of is that the beach does have a strong smell of fish, but it is worth it to see the penguins! Alternatively if you are looking for picturesque beaches without penguins Camps Bay is a wonderful alternative, a lovely cove with boutique hotels and fantastic views and sunsets, it is the ideal place to visit and to stay very close to Table Mountain.

Cape Point is at the end of the Cape Peninsula. Close to the Cape Of Good Hope the gates open up to the point at sunrise and close at sunset, offering spectacular views over False Bay. To get here you will need to rent a car (which many do to explore Cape Town) or take a taxi, alternatively you can hop on the city sightseeing bus and stop at Boulders Beach en route. Choose to walk up to the point or you can take the funicular which makes for an easy trip. There is also the Two Oceans Restaurant offering fresh seafood excellent for a lunch stop and don’t forget to see the Old Lighthouse which you can get to from the trail or funicular. 

Lastly but by no means least on my list of must visits when in Cape Town is the Lion’s Head and Signal Hill. The Lion’s Head is a beautiful mountain that is situated between Table Mountain and Signal Hill. When you look at this from the side it, as the name aptly suggests, looks like the side of a lion’s head. From here you can see fantastic views of the bay, Signal Hill and Table Mountain. It has a dramatic backdrop and is a great morning hike. With the local rock rabbits to keep you company, these cute animals live up here, on Table Mountain and around the cape. It is a great place to stop and have a picnic and appreciate how beautiful Cape Town is. 

If you would like to know more about Cape Town and the other activities you can do in South Africa such as visiting the Western Cape, safari holidays or heading to The Winelands get in touch with our South African specialists here or call us on 020 8050 2681. We tailor-make holidays and honeymoons and will be able to create something spectacular for you.